Repenting and reforming
We’ve made a wrong turn. Whether it was intentional or not, we’ve got to turn back somehow.
We’ve all felt that way at one time or another. In spiritual practice, a word for this righting of a wrong, especially when it’s intentional, is “atonement.” But, if we look closer at the word, we also find something deeper. It breaks into three parts: “at,” “one,” and “ment.” That implies so much more than just saying sorry.
This week’s Christian Science Bible lesson on the “Doctrine of Atonement” includes a passage that illuminates the connection between atonement and our oneness with God: “Every pang of repentance and suffering, every effort for reform, every good thought and deed, will help us to understand Jesus’ atonement for sin and aid its efficacy; but if the sinner continues to pray and repent, sin and be sorry, he has little part in the atonement, – in the at-one-ment with God, – for he lacks the practical repentance, which reforms the heart and enables man to do the will of wisdom” ( Mary Baker Eddy , “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 19 ).
Christ Jesus revealed to us our oneness with our Maker, who is wholly good. Embracing this view in prayer brings needed correction to our hearts, and to any difficulty we’re facing because of our thoughts or actions. What this understanding really does is reveal the harmony of being that God has permanently established.
We took a journey through the archives of The Christian Science Publishing Society and selected several articles to share with you that show the significant impact that atonement can have in our lives.
In “ Waking up to wrongdoing ,” the author found that an awareness of our true nature, purely spiritual and good, can enable us to let go of harmful habits and bring us a better way forward.
The author of “ ‘Hey, Knucklehead’ ” shares how as we listen to God’s messages of spiritual truth, this can lead us to humbly correct a mistake we’ve made. And we only benefit from doing so.
In “ Guilt overcome ,” the author explores how understanding God’s enduring love frees us to release mental baggage from the past and to set our hearts on doing as divine Love guides.
The author of “ The joy of subduing sin ” shares how knowing that we all have one divine Mind enables us to abandon thoughts that aren’t from God. And this brings harmonious adjustments to our lives.
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